Improvement in bee-hives



A. V'. CONKLIN.

` Bee Hive.

Patented l Oct. 20, 1868.

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t wird 5mm @anni @time i' wwaeeee-w r A.v. CONKLIN, or BENNINGTON, oHIo.Letters Patent No, 83,257, dated ctobcr 20, 1868.

MRVELENT IN BEEHIVES.

The Schedule referred to these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all 'whom it ma/y concern:

Be it known that I, A. V. CONKLEN, of Bennington, in the county ofMorrow, and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and improvedBee-Hive and I do hereby declare that the' following is afull andcomplete description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanyingdrawings, making part of this specication, in which- Figure1 is aperspective lview of the hive.

Figure 2, a'top view of the inside, with the honey-v boxes removed.

Figure 3, a vertical section in direction of the line M.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the different views.

This invention relates to a bee-hive so constructed that the case, andthe frames therein,are arranged oblqucly to the table or platform onwhich the hive res s.

In g. 1, A represents a frame, in which is secured the hive B. Said hiveis a rectangular or other angular box, and stands on the platform Oofthe frame,

d on `the vertex of the angleoftwo of its sides, as shown in thedrawing. The upper sides D are hinged to the case atcorrcsponding pointsa, iig. 3, so that they may be opened from the top or ridge E, wherebyaccess is had to the interior of the hive, and which doors or coversserve as a roof for the protection of the same;

or the'box may be divided horizontally through the middle, and the upperhalf removed for access to the inside. i In the lower angle of theinteriorof the hive is arf ranged a series of rectangular comb-frames,F, fig. 2, a side View of which is shown in fig. 3. Said frames are eachseparately supported in position by brackets b, or other device, wherebythey are held from contact with the sides of the hive, leaving a shortspace, c, between the vwall and the frames for a free ventilation.

These frames, as will be seen in g. 3, occupy a little more thanone-fourth of the interior of the hive, and

that the lower angle or section, whereas the rest part of the hive isoccupied by the honey-boxes G G', placed upon and in immediateconnection with the frames, a communication being established betweenthe two, by means of bee-passages cut in the 'sides of the boxes thatare in proximation to the frames.

Said boxes arefour in number, and of unequal size, the two upper ones,G', being larger than boxes G, as indicated by' the dotted lines infig'. l, but which, however, may be less or more in number, if sodesired. v

C, the platform referred to, serves as a lighting. At the lower angle ofthe hive are the bee-doors H, for the egress and ingress of the bees.

Having thus described the construction and arrangement of the hive, thepractical advantages of the same are as follows, viz:

In placing the hive in the peculiar oblique position shown, it iseasilykept clean by the bees, as all the dirt .and waste fall to one point,the lower angle ofthe chamber, nom whence they are readily removed tothe outside.

yBy placing the movable frames in a co-relative angle with the box, andbut partially filling the same, leaves a vlarge space on the two uppersides ofthe frames for honey-boxes, to which access is conveniently hadfor removal or for inspection by the folding doors or roof D.

The instinct of the bee leads it to commence the building of comb atsome angle, and that the most elevated or remote from the main entrance.To provide for this instinctive tendency of the creature, the obliqueposition of the frames offers such anV angle to their wants, the upperone being the point from which they proceed to build the comb, whichthey first store with honey `for food, leaving the main body o f thecomb below for the brood-chamber, which, as will be seen, is of largecapacity, thereby securing a large space for brood, .and consequently astrong stock.

The inner sides of the frames are also made angular, thereby securingthe building of straight combs in the frames, so that each frame remainsseparate, and which may, therefore, be easily removed.

- The heat of the bees ascending and concentrating in the upper angle ofthe hive, that portion of the hive is 'therefore kept warm, so that thestores are rendered accessible Ato the bees in the coldest weather.

It will be observed that the honey-boxes above the frames have the sameangular point for the concentra.-v

tion of heat, andthe commencement of comb-building, as the frames.Hence, in this hive, the bees find every advantage which their instinctsand necessities require, in augularity of structure, space, warmth,thorough ventilation, and facility for keepin g' thehive clean; and

',those having the care of the hive find it simple in its arrangement,and hence easy to manage, conveniently accessible tothe inside, andsatisfactory in all its appointments.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters "Patent,is-

. l. The square or angular case B, folding roof ordoors D, when saidcase is elevated upon the vertex of the angle of its sides, in themanner as and for the purpose specified,

2. The angular frames F, when arranged within the case B, so ythat thevertex of the angles of said frames shall coincide with the vertex ofthe angles of the case in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

The honey-boxes G G', frames F, doors D, and case B, combined andarranged, in relation to each other,

in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described. l

A. V. CONKLIN. Witnesses:

J. H. Bonnrnen,

FRANK S. ALBEN.

